Rugged offensive line carries Colgate

John Pitarresi

Friday

Nov 28, 2008 at 12:01 AMNov 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM

It was a brutal, beautiful thing to watch. Colgate University’s offensive line slugged and drove, knocking the Holy Cross defense back time after time, opening holes for tailbacks Jordan Scott and Nate Eachus and quarterback Greg Sullivan.

It was a brutal, beautiful thing to watch.

Colgate University’s offensive line slugged and drove, knocking the Holy Cross defense back time after time, opening holes for tailbacks Jordan Scott and Nate Eachus and quarterback Greg Sullivan.

There was a 17-play, 79-yard drive to start the third quarter; a seven-play, 67-yard drive to take the lead; and two more time-consuming possessions to ice the game. Colgate held the ball for an incredible 42 minutes, 27 seconds, and the Raiders had a 28-27 come-from-behind victory over the Crusaders, the Patriot League championship and a spot in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

“It was a great experience,” said senior tackle Steve Jonas. “Most of our drives this season have been 13, 14, 15 plays. That’s what our coaches preach in practice. Basically, outwork the defense for four quarters. We’ve been down at the half several times, but we just stay in there and wear the defense down.”

The Raiders (9-2, ranked 16th) will try to do that again when they visit No. 6 Villanova (9-2) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the first round of the playoffs.

Colgate coach Dick Biddle, 104-48 in 13 seasons and the Patriot League coach of the year for the fourth time, has no plans to change his style against the Wildcats.

“We felt like going in that’s what we needed to do (against Holy Cross),” he said. “I don’t think there are dramatic changes in what you can do. You just challenge the kids. It’s a tough challenge for us. They are by far the best team and best defense we’ve played.”

Villanova has lost only to West Virginia and No. 1 ranked James Madison.

Coached by former St. Lawrence University coach Andy Talley – his mother is from Utica and his uncles played at Herkimer High School – who founded the program in 1985, Villanova has been especially strong on defense, allowing just 80 yards a game rushing – Colgate is averaging 273 – and collecting 28 sacks.

Linebacker Osayi Osunde and defensive end Greg Miller were All-Colonial Athletic Association first-team all-stars, and five other Wildcat defenders also were honored. Tailback Aaron Ball has rushed for 960 yards and 11 touchdowns and quarterback Chris Whitney has completed 102 of 147 passes for 1,149 yards and eight touchdowns.

Scott, Colgate’s all-time leading rusher (5,527 yards, 54 touchdowns, an FCS-record 1,213 carries) Eachus (872 yards on 162 carries), Sullivan (865 yards on 160 carries) and Simonds (59 catches, 1,054 yards, eight touchdowns) have been the offensive stars for the Raiders, but they wouldn’t have those numbers without that offensive line. Jonas, fellow seniors Rich Rosabella and Nick Hennessey and juniors Zach Posey and Justin Snyder have been extremely efficient.

“Experience is a big part of it, being together for three years, seeing the same defenses over and over,” said Jonas, a 6-foot-4, 313-pound senior from Webster, who has missed just one start in four seasons “It’s trust. You don’t worry about somebody making a mistake. Experience is the biggest part, and building our relationships on and off and the field.”

That unit, with help from wide receiver Doug Rosnick, tight ends Adrien Schriefer and Nick Cvetic and fullback Eric Tupta, has responded well to second-year offensive line coach Casey Vogt.

“He’s been great,” Jonas said. “He knows when it is time to get down to business. Repetition is the key to success for us He preaches, staying low, coming off the ball, being physical. … It’s just your attitude. We just keep pounding and pounding the ball. It will break down any defense.”

The Colgate defense has allowed 370 yards a game, but has made big stops when needed. Defensive backs Wayne Moten and Chris Epko were named first-team all-league, and defensive linemen Austin Douglas and Paul Mancuso and linebacker and leading tackler Greg Hadley were named to the second team.

Villanova has a 3-1 series advantage over Colgate. The teams last met in the playoffs in 1997, when current Eagles star, Brian Westbrook, then a freshman, led the Wildcats to a 49-28 victory. Westbrook had an 85-yard kickoff return that made all the difference.

“What I remember about that game was that we had just scored to go ahead 28-27 and Westbrook went into the end zone in about four seconds,” Biddle said. “We shouldn’t have kicked to him.”

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